Four Weeks in the Hunter
Categories: life, newcastle-and-surrounds
Date: 17 June 2012 05:59:25
I cannot believe 4 weeks of work, and life up here in the Hunter, has passed by so quickly...
I am convinced it was a good move. I am enjoying living with my sister, brother-in-law and nieces, and may stay with them longer than I intended. I have found a church. I am enjoying my work, and have good colleagues. And I am enjoying discovering parts of Newcastle and the Hunter, and re-discovering places I have been to before; certainly the weather has been much better than my trip up in 2007 where there was flooding and storm damage, and the Pasha Bulker was grounded.
On a cold and overcast day yesterday, with splashes of rain, I set out after BodyPump at the gym to the Honeysuckle precinct, a residential and commercial area alongside Newcastle Harbour, which was previously an industrial area. The name comes from the Honeysuckle plants that once grew there. There are a number of restaurants and cafés, and I had a nice vegetarian risotto at the Honeysuckle Hotel, sitting outside under a shelter looking towards the loading docks across the harbour. I also noted 2 museums which I will visit: the Newcastle Museum within restored railway sheds, and a Maritime Museum.
Today (Sunday), the sun was out and I returned to Stockton, Newcastle's only northern suburb across the harbour from the CBD (further east than the loading docks...) to walk along the harbour and see the wreck of the iron barque Adolphe, wrecked in 1904 (authorities later blew up the Adolphe's hull to prevent boys climbing up all over it given the danger), as well as take a very pleasant walk out on the breakwater. Last week I walked out onto Stockton Beach, which is an amazing 32 kilometres [20 miles] long, home to many shipwrecks and popular with 4WD drivers as they are able to drive their 4WDs along the beach. Today two motorcyclists whizzed past me and onto the beach.
I am looking forward to more discoveries and experiences as I continue my work and life up here.